7th Month of Pregnancy: Baby Growth, Tests and Classes
Now you have entered the 3rd trimester, the final phase of pregnancy, when your baby grows fast and the organs keep getting ready for life outside the womb. The third trimester is often called the "home stretch." If you missed the last post, read about the sixth month of pregnancy.
What happens during the seventh month?
By the end of the seventh month, your baby is about 14 to 15 inches long and weighs between 2 and 3 pounds, says Cleveland Clinic. During this month, your baby is more active. The baby changes position often, kicks a lot, and responds to sound and light. By week 27, the baby can open its eyes and blink. More body fat makes the skin smoother, and the lungs start to make a substance that will help your baby breathe after birth. Around week 28, some babies begin turning head down to get ready for birth.
During this phase, some women feel practice contractions, called Braxton Hicks contractions. Cleveland Clinic says they feel like a tightening of the belly. They come at uneven times, are less strong than real labor and usually go away if you change position. Call your doctor if they become regular or painful. Babies born during this month are still called extremely preterm by the World Health Organization, because they are born before 28 weeks. But with good hospital care, the chances of survival go up with every passing week.
Measures to take
In the seventh month, ACOG says women who were a healthy weight before pregnancy should gain about half a pound to 1 pound a week. This is also the time when your doctor will test for gestational diabetes. ACOG says blood sugar is usually checked between 24 and 28 weeks. For the test, you drink a sweet sugary drink, and one hour later your blood sugar is checked, says Mayo Clinic. Try not to worry. The CDC says gestational diabetes affects 5% to 9% of pregnancies in the US each year, and it can be managed with your doctor's help.
Since the countdown has begun, it is time to make plans for childbirth.
Choosing where and how to have your baby
For most healthy women, giving birth is safe. Your doctor or midwife will tell you if there are any concerns about a vaginal birth. Concerns could be about the position of the baby, carrying more than one baby, or an earlier cesarean section (C section).
Next, it is time to choose the place. You may give birth in a hospital, at a birth center or at home. ACOG says you have the right to choose where you give birth, but it believes the safest places are a hospital or an accredited birth center. If you plan to give birth at home or at a birth center, make sure a hospital is nearby in case of an emergency.
If you plan a hospital birth, ask questions ahead of time, like if your partner can be with you, what services are there, and what you need to bring with you.
Once you have made your birth plan, the seventh month is also a good time to take childbirth classes.
Taking childbirth classes
There are many types of classes, and each one is different in what it teaches. WebMD says Lamaze is the most widely used childbirth method in the US. Lamaze classes do not support or discourage the use of medicines during labor. Instead, they tell moms about all of their options, so they can make their own choices.
Classes can help build your confidence, especially if this is your first pregnancy. They teach you about normal labor, the birth process and care after birth. A class can also give you practical tips to ease labor pain and teach you about breastfeeding and healthy habits. Playing soft bedtime lullabies and peaceful music can also help you relax during rest time. Rockabye Baby is a gentle lullaby about a mother who sits near her baby in her rocking chair.
Another common method is the Bradley method. Healthline says it prepares partners to be birth coaches and focuses on birth without medicines.
Other classes teach things like hypnobirthing or the Alexander technique. Ask your doctor or midwife and look into each option before choosing the class that best fits your needs.
When you are ready, read what comes next in the eighth month of pregnancy.
Questions About the Seventh Month of Pregnancy
How big is the baby at 7 months pregnant?
By the end of the seventh month, the baby is about 14 to 15 inches long and weighs between 2 and 3 pounds.
When is the glucose test for gestational diabetes?
It is usually done between 24 and 28 weeks. You drink a sugary drink and your blood sugar is checked one hour later.
What are Braxton Hicks contractions?
They are practice contractions that feel like a tightening of the belly. They are uneven and usually go away when you change position.
What is the difference between Lamaze and Bradley classes?
Lamaze teaches you about all your options, including medicines. The Bradley method trains your partner as a birth coach and focuses on birth without medicines.
Can a baby survive if born in the seventh month?
Yes, many can with intensive care in a hospital. The chances go up with every week the baby stays in the womb.
This post is for general information only. It is not medical advice. If you have questions about your health or your pregnancy, please talk to your doctor.